Improvement in can tops



CHARLES E. DAYTON.

' Improvement in Can-Tops. No, 114,931. Patented May16,1871'.

.l atznt dffid.

CHARLES E. DAYTON, OF MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT.

Letters Patent No. 114,931, dated May 16, 1871.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAN TOPS The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making partoi' the same. 7

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it-known that I, CHARLES E. DAYTON, of Meriden, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented -a new and useful improved Can Top; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being bad to the accompanying drawing making a part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, in which- Figure 1 is a side view of a can having my invention applied thereto;

Figure 2 is another side view of the invention with the cover closed;

Figure 3 is a similar side view with the cover partially open; and

Figure 4 is a plan view, showing the cover entirely open.

My invention relates to the construction of a cover and its fastening tobe used upon and attached to the tops of cans, to prevent the contents from being spil1ed,

The cover has a cork fitted tightly therein, which,

is 9f sufficient thickness to project down a little below the lower edge of the cover, and the cover is of suificient size that, when the cover and cork are in place upon the top, the cork rests upon the flange all around, completely covering the orifice.

The distance between the top of the flange and that part of the projection thereon which is bent over it is a little less than the whole thickness of the cover and the cork within it, so that, as said cover is swung horizontally over the orifice, if pressed down a little,

' it passes beneaththe said bent projection, which impin es upon its top, pressing the cover and cork down tigh bly upon the flange, securing it firmly in place, and completely stopping the orifice;

That others skilled in the art may beable to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and its operation.

In the drawing- D represents the neck of a can, to which is attached.

the horizontal annular flange 0, having an ear, 0, thereon.

At the other side of said flange is a projection, on, which is bent upward, and also backward over the flange, as shown at a.

A cup-shaped or hollow cylindrical cover, I), having an ear, 0, thereon, is secured to the flangec by means of a pivot, 0', extending through the ear 6, and. also through the ear 0' upon the flange, and is riveted to secure it therein, but in so loose a manner as to permit the cover to be moved horizontally either way, swinging upon its pivot.

The said cover has a cork fitted tightly therein, which is of suflicient thickness as to extend down a little below the lower edge of the cover, as seen at d in fig. 3.

If the cover is in the position shown at b in fig. 4,

and it is"dsired to shut it, it is moved or swung around upon its pivot 0' until it strikes against the bent projection a, and if ,the cover then be pressed down'firmly .it may be easily moved under the projection to, thus closing the orifice, the said projection or operating as a spring to keep the cover and its cork pressed firmly down upon the top of the flange c, keeping the orifice tightly closed and preventing the fluid within from being spilled even if the can were overturned, and also preventing the evaporation of the fluid.

If the part a,- of the projection were made with the sides inclined upward slightly from the middle, or were made slightly convex underneath, or if the edge at the top of the cover were a little rounded, the cover would pass underneath the part a much more readily and easily.

This cover, with its fastening, makes a very efi'ectual and complete stopper for cans, and is particulary adapted to cans containing such fluids as kerosene, benzine, &c., and is much more convenient for use than the common screw-cap.

As the part a' extends backward over the flange to a point perpendicularlyabove the inner edge'of the flange, as is clearly shown in fig. 4, it is evident that when the funnel, the small end of which is tapered, is placed in the orifice to fill it, the upper and larger part of such tapered ends' strikes against the part a, and the lower and smaller part is kept away from that side of the flange, leavinga small space between the flange and nozzle of the funnel, so that, as the vessel is being filled, the air can easily andfreely escape from the vessel through said space, thus preventing the blowing out of the liquid, which so often happens when the funnel fills the entire orifice.

Instead of the pivot e the cover I; might be hinged to the flange 0, so as to swing in a vertical direction, and the part a would then be bent back just sufliciently to be sprung or pressed outward by bringing ters Patent, is-

An improved can top, consisting of the cover b, having the cork or other similar elastic material, d, and pivoted to the flange 0 having the'bent projection a thereon, all constructed and operating substantially as described.

CHARLES E. DAYTON.

Witnesses T. A. OURTIs, -GLARENGE B QKLA'ND. 

